Adjustable support for telephones, &amp;c.



No. 696,!60. Patented Mar. 25, I902.

- W. E. BLODGETT. ADJUSTABLE SUPPORT FOR TELEPHONES, &c.

I pplxcntion filed Oct 7, 1901.\ (No llodel.)

"2222,72 Illi UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WVILLIAM E. BLODGETT, OF FARIBAULT, MINNESOTA.

ADJUSTABLE SUPPORT FOR TELEPHONES, 80G.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters l atent No. 696,160, dated March 25, 1902.

Application filed October 7, 1901. Serial No. 77,756. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM E. BLODGETT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Faribault, county of Rice, and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Adjustable Supports for Telephones, &c., of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to means for supporting telephones and like devices,and has particular reference to desk-telephones, where it is desirable to have the telephone easily movable into position for use and at the same time within reach out of the way.

With the above object in view my invention consists of a reel about which a flexible cord or connection attached to a movable telephone may be wound, said reel being eccentrically mounted upon a shaft between which and the reel automatic means are arranged for rotating the reel in one direction, whereby the telephone may be raised and lowered and held in several different positions.

The invention will be more readily understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, and in wh-icl1 Figure 1 is a view of my invention conn'ected to the ceiling above a desk and indicating the telephone in several positions. Fig. 2 is a side view of the reel and actuating-spring, a portion of the spring-casing be- :ing shown broken away; and Fig. 3 is a ver tical cross-section of the same.

As shown in the drawings, my invention consists of the reel 2, provided with a deep peripheral channel 3 for the reception of the flexible connection 4 and eccentrically mounted upon a shaft 5. This eccentricity may be made as much or little as desired; but I prefor to have the long arm of the eccentric from six to eight times the length of the short arm. Concentric with the shaft 5 is a casing 6, secured to the side of the reel 2 by any suitable means, such as nails or screws, andcontaining a clock-spring 7, which has its outer end secured to the side of the reel 2 at any suitable point 8 and its inner end "connected to shaft 5. Shaft 5 is provided at one end with a key-seat 9 and ratchet-wheel 10 and is held from rotation in one direction by the ratchet-pawl 11, pivoted to a bracket or other convenient part. The means for supporting the shaft 5 will vary according to the position in which the device is to be held; but as shown this means consists of two arms or brackets 12 and .13, rigidly secured at their upper ends to the block l t and carrying the shaft 5 at their free ends. The block 14 is adapted to be secured to the ceiling or any overhead part by screws or other fastening devices.

The adjustment of my device is substantially as follows Assuming the parts assembled and in place, as shown in Fig. 1, a key or wrench is applied to the end 9 of shaft 5 and tension put upon spring 7 until the reel operates to support the telephone or other weight suspended. therefrom, when it oper-.

ates through its shortest arm, as shown in positions a, b, and c, Fig. 1. The pawl 11 operates to hold the "shaft 5 from turning backward, and thereby preventing unwinding of the spring 7.

The operation of my device is as follows: When the spring has been adjusted so that the torque produced by the same is always greater than the opposing torque produced by the reel when the weight suspended therefrom acts through its shortest arm, the said spring will operate to hold said reel and weight in those positions where the reel stands so that the weight acts through such short arm. The spring cannot cause the reel .to turn beyond such short-arm position, for

the-reason that as soon as a longerarm is presented through which the weight may act the torque of the reel becomes greater than the torque of the spring. When it is desired tolower the telephone or other suspended weight, it is only necessary to overcome the excess of torque of the spring over the torque of the load when exerted through a short arm. It is to be noted that my device operates to suspend the telephone or other Weight in certain fixed positions which are more or less far apart, according to the circumference of the reel. This, however, is not objectionable even when the circumference of the reel is comparatively large, and by making the reel small this distance between arresting positions may be made as short as desired.

While I have confined my description to the construction shown in the drawings, it is evident that many changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of my invention. For example, a counterbalanced weight may be suspended from the reel-shaft or a boss upon the reel.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination of a shaft, a ratchet connected to said shaft, a pawl adapted to engage and hold said ratchet, a reel eccentrically mounted upon said shaft, a spring surrounding said shaft and connected thereto at one end and connected at the other end to said reel and a flexible connection between said reel and the weight to be suspended, substantially as described.

2. The combination of a shaft, a ratchet connected to said shaft, a pawl adapted to engage and hold said ratchet, a reel eccentrically mounted upon said shaft, a spring surrounding said shaft and connected thereto at one end and connected to said reel at the other, a casing inclosing said spring and con nected to said reel and a flexible connection between said reel and the weight to be suspended, substantially as described.

3. The combination of a shaft, brackets for supporting the same, a reel loosely journaled on said shaft, a casing secured to one side of said reel, a spring located in said casing and having one end connected to said shaft and the other end connected to said reel outside of said casing, a ratchet secured to one end of said shaft, a pawl pivoted upon one end of the shaft-supporting brackets and engaging said ratchet, and a flexible connection be tween said reel and the weight to be suspended, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name, in the presence of two witnesses, this 27th day of September, 1901.

WM. E. BLODGETT.

In presence of A. BLODGETT, J12, GEO. VINCENT. 

